5 key takeaways from the Silent Hill 2 story trailer

Silent Hill 2 is one of the best survival horror games from the PlayStation 2 era, with a narrative that still holds up all these years later. However, the gameplay mechanics and graphics feel out of touch compared to modern releases. To bring the title to a new generation of players, Konami is coming out with a Silent Hill 2 remake later this year.

The game is highly anticipated and has been shown off a few times through various trailers, showcasing the new graphics and gameplay mechanics. While the previous trailers for Silent Hill 2 Remake have gotten mixed reactions, the recent story trailer has been received positively, as it shows the game trying to stay true to its PlayStation 2 original.

The recent release of the story trailer contains important details about the upcoming title. In this article, we will look at five key takeaways from the Silent Hill 2 Remake's story trailer.

Note: This article reflects the writer's opinions and is not ranked in any order.

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The things we learned from the Silent Hill 2 Remake's story trailer

1) The story is identical to the original

The Remake's story is staying faithful to the original (Image via PlayStation, Konami)

Remakes usually drastically alter the original game's narrative to cater to the newer audience. However, by the looks of the story trailer, it is safe to say that the Silent Hill 2 remake is attempting to stay faithful to the original. The trailer has a depressing tone with a narration by a female character asking James Sunderland whether he has confused her with someone else.

Then we get a few shots of the protagonist trying to recollect his memories and look for his wife Maria, which is a huge plot point from the original game. The story trailer perfectly captures the essence of the cult classic, inviting veterans to try the remake with ease while also catering to the new generation with improved presentation.

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2) A deeper look at mental health

The title will be focusing closely on mental health issues (Image via PlayStation, Konami)

The original Silent Hill 2 focused on mental health at a time when it was not the most common topic of discussion. The story trailer showcases many instances of James Sunderland inquiring about his dead wife Maria, as he is simultaneously dealing with grief and depression. His mental issues and mystery about his wife are reflected well as James is seen facing his demons throughout the trailer.

By focusing the trailer around James and his internal conflict as he tries to reconcile with his wife's loss, we get a deeper look at his mental health. This is a great sign as the game is delving into and spreading awareness about mental health.

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3) Staying faithful to the original atmosphere

The remake retains its original atmosphere seen through the scattered shots of the town (Image via PlayStation, Konami)

One of the most important aspects of Silent Hill 2 is the atmospheric horror. In the original game, the majority of the map was covered with a dense fog due to technical limitations. However, this choice ended up accentuating the town's mysterious allure. This fog returns in the Silent Hill 2 Remake, maintaining the same level of mystery and prompting you to explore every nook and cranny.

The story trailer sparsely features the town, which has seen an upgrade in graphics, adding to the horror without overhauling with the PlayStation 2 classic.

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4) The character's faces now resemble the original

The Remake has tweaked the main protagonist's face to match the original (Image via PlayStation, Konami)

The first trailer for the Silent Hill 2 remake was bashed online by most of the gaming community as the character models did not resemble the original. The face models of James and the other characters looked unfamiliar because of altered facial features, leaving them unrecognizable to the veterans. The new graphics not only gave the characters more details but heavily changed their faces from the PlayStation 2 game.

However, the latest story trailer has showcased new face models for the characters, bringing their looks closer to the original title. The close-up shots in the trailer give us a better look at Maria and James as they finally resemble their PlayStation 2 versions.

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5) Mature dialogues and polished cutscenes

The Remake is going for a darker exploration of the original's themes (Image via PlayStation, Konami)

Silent Hill 2 on the PlayStation 2 was considered a mature title that discussed the themes of abuse and grief in horrific detail. While the exploration of those themes was great for its time, it has certainly aged poorly because of outdated graphics and dialogue delivery. This heavily impacts the message and theme that the title is trying to convey through its narrative and gameplay.

However, the Silent Hill 2 remake's trailer teases mature storytelling and detailed character expressions. The modern graphics and mature dialogue in the story trailer convey strong emotions in a short duration, engaging players with its next-gen graphics.